Fascia Training

Fascia training describes sports activities and movement exercises that attempt to improve the functional properties of the muscular connective tissues in the human body, such as tendons, ligaments, joint capsules and muscular envelopes. Also called fascia, these tissues take part in a body-wide tensional force transmission network and are responsive to training stimulation.

Whenever muscles and joints are moved this also exerts mechanical strain on related fascial tissues. The general assumption in sports science had therefore been that muscle strength exercises as well as cardiovascular training would be sufficient for an optimal training of the associate fibrous connective tissues. However, recent ultrasound-based research revealed that the mechanical threshold for a training effect on tendinous tissues tends to be significantly higher than for muscle fibers. This insight happened roughly during the same time in which the field of fascia research attracted major attention by showing that fascial tissues are much more than passive transmitters of muscular tension (years 2007 – 2010). Both influences together triggered an increasing attention in sports science towards the question whether/how fascial tissues can be specifically stimulated with active exercises.

The first print publication addressing this question in more detail was a chapter contribution in the first academic text book on fascia, of which an extended version of this chapter was subsequently published in a scientific journal. In these texts the authors Robert Schleip and Divo Gitta Müller described major training principles as well as practical applications. In collaboration with other sports therapist they later developed this into a specific training method called Fascial Fitness. Significant contributions in this development were made by the author and body therapist Thomas W. Myers (USA), the sports chiropractor Wilbour Kelsick (Canada), as well as the German physical education teachers Markus Rossmann and Stefan Dennenmoser.

Other fascia oriented training approaches that particularly aim at a remodeling of fascial tissues include the MELT Method (Myofascial Energetic Length Technique), Yin Yoga, Fascial Yoga, several forms of Pilates, as well as the self-defense method of Wujifa and similar styles of Martial Arts.

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Wikipedia